God's Not Dead 3: God's Even Less Dead Than He Was Before
by MostlyEinsteinPoems
Summary: Popular Christian high school student Sarah Markerson believes she is a shoo-in for Senior Class President, but soon uncovers an evil plot by school atheists to usurp the position and take control of Wellesly High School. When the spirit of Professor Radisson visits her dream, she embarks on a quest to keep Jesus in her school.
1. Chapter 1

God's Not Dead 3: God's Even Less Dead than He Was Before

Chapter 1

Sarah Markerson hurriedly made her way through the brightly lit halls of Wellesly High School with a lot on her mind. As Junior Class President, Chairwoman of the Prom Committee (not to mention a shoe-in for Prom Queen the following year), and President of The Christian Students Club, she was never left with much free time.

"Hey Sarah!" "Afternoon, Sarah!" "You look so pretty today, Sarah!" Compliments and greetings showered her from every angle. She had so many friends. Nearly everyone liked her. All the boys wanted to date her, the prettiest, most popular girl in school. Even better, her father, Pastor Mark Markerson was famous in the town of Wellesly, Idaho. He was known as the Godliest of all the town's ministers. Sarah was bathed in the light of the Holy Spirit through and through.

She was known for throwing the best prayer parties in all of Wellesly High, and all the cool kids went. She always made the most rockin' snickerdoodles for the guests, and if anyone forgot their Bible, she ALWAYS had spares they could borrow. In short: She was Grade "A" Certified Cool.

Finally reaching the classroom where the Junior Class Council was meeting, she bounded through the doorway.

"Sorry I'm late! The prom committee meeting ran a little long! I convinced them we needed to end it with a prayer for a wholesome and Godly prom!"

"Oh, it's ok Sarah, we know how busy life can be when you're doing the work of the Lord!" said Laney, Junior Class Vice President. "Would you like to start our meeting off with a prayer for God's guidance in our governance of our beloved classmates?"

"Sure!" Everyone bowed their heads. "Lord, we ask humbly that you guide us, your lowly servants, in our meeting tonight. We ask that you guard our hearts from evil as we decide on the lead story for the student government newsletter. We ask that you lead us not into the temptation of sinful debauchery when discussing pep rally fundraising ideas. We give thanks for the many potato chips on our refreshment table, for we know there are refreshment tables in Africa with no potato chips at all. Be with us as we move on to the upcoming election for next year's student body government. May the most Godly person win. In Jesus' name we pray, amen."

"Amen," parroted the room.

The meeting went on as it usually did, with votes on the newsletter, and the pep rallies. Finally, there was one more order of business: The upcoming election of the Senior Class President, the most important position in all of the student body government. To make the ballot, prospective candidates needed fifty students' signatures, the endorsement of three members of faculty, and a $25 filing fee. It was daunting, by far the most onerous set of requirements of candidacy for any officer position. Everyone expected Sarah to be the only candidate running, as only she could charm so many students and teachers in the short window between Spring Break and the filing deadline.

"Madame Secretary," said Sarah, "will you please read aloud the candidates who have applied for positions in Senior Class government?"

Stacey Rodgers looked down at her notes. She read through the myriad candidates for various Senior class committees before finally getting to the top officers.

"Treasurer: John Matthews, Blake Jefferson, and Rodney McLane."

"Secretary: Stacey Rodgers and Alicia Green."

"Vice President: Laney Sanders." Laney smiled.

"President: Sarah Markerson, and Sergei Ivanov. The election is to be held two weeks from today."

Sarah's perpetual smile did not break; it only dimmed a little. "Before we adjourn, let us once more pray to God for his guidance in the upcoming election, and a safe trip home tonight for all of us." And so they prayed.

After the meeting adjourned, Sarah met up with Laney, who was giving her a ride home. "Congrats on being the only candidate for VP, Lanes!" said Sarah.

"Thanks Sarah. I'm sure you'll win the presidency," said Laney as she buckled her seatbelt and adjusted her side- and rearview mirrors for safety. She slowly backed out of her parking spot while frequently checking her surroundings for oncoming cars and pedestrians. She double-checked that her headlights were on for good night-time driving visibility, but that her high beams were only in use when she was more than 500 feet away from any other vehicle. She had made sure to adjust her radio and air condition before setting the car in motion so that she would not be distracted while driving, and she was confident that her tire pressure was at the manufacturer's recommended level for safe operaton.

"I guess I haven't had much time to meet new friends. Who is that Sergei fellow, anyway? I'd love to invite him to a prayer party as a show of sportsmanship."

Laney's smile began to fade, and her 10-and-2 grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Sarah, haven't you heard?" Laney's voice lowered, as though afraid to be overheard by even the Lord himself. "Sergei is the president of that new Atheist club that started after Christmas Break."

"Atheist club?!" cried Sarah. "What in the world are you talking about? How could there be such a thing at Wellesly High! They'd have to get principal approval and a faculty sponsor! There's no way an atheist club could start up! Not here! Not here!" Sarah's heart was pounding. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Atheism was something that happened in big cities, where there was violence and pornography and multiculturalism. God's hand was protecting Wellesly, wasn't it?

"I was as surprised as you, Sarah. When I first heard a group of students were experimenting with secularism, I was taken aback. However, I was confident Principal Miller would put a stop to it."

"Didn't he? Principal Miller is such a Godly man. I know he would do anything to protect students' hearts from atheism's Satanic pull."

"I'm sure he tried, Sarah. But something must have gotten to him. If even a Godly man like Principal Miller can be turned, what hope is there for us?"

Sarah was on the verge of a full meltdown. "And the faculty sponsor? Every teacher I know is a lover of Christ! They would never aid in the creation of such a club!"

Laney's voice lowered even further, almost to a whisper. "It's that new biology teacher, Sarah. Mr. Petrov. He didn't get his Associates in education at Wellesly Bible College. He didn't go to Wellesly Bible College at all! I heard he has a degree in biology from Boise State. Do you know what that means?!"

Sarah, trembling, nodded. "He's lived in Boise. The big city. A den of secularism and debauchery."

"That's not even the worst of it. When you go to a big, secular college like that, they brainwash you. And then they make you brainwash others! Mr. Petrov has been spreading crazy theories about the origin of man to everyone taking his AP Bio class."

Sarah was puzzled. "AP Bio? Why would the school offer an AP Bio class? My dad said Wellesly Bible College doesn't recognize AP credit so I should take home economics and learn how to care for my future husband instead."

"They don't, Sarah. Do you know what that means? Mr. Petrov is trying to get kids to go to college in big, flashy cities like Boise! He wants to help godless professors brainwash people like they did to him!" Laney came to a complete stop at a stop sign. She looked to her left, her right, and then her left again. When there was no oncoming traffic, she proceeded through the intersection, continuing to check her right and left for oncoming cars, as well as crossing pedestrians.

Sarah felt sick to her stomach. She had almost taken the AP Bio course. Without her father's guidance, she could have fallen astray from the Path of Christ. She looked at Laney, her fear turning to righteous anger. "Tomorrow, I'm talking to Principal Miller. I'm going to get to the bottom of this 'Atheist Club'."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Room 107 was dimly lit as the members of the Wellesly High Atheist Club poured in. When the club first began four months earlier, there were only seven of them. However, as Mr. Petrov's atheistic theories began to take root in the young minds of his AP Bio class, their numbers swelled. Now, there were nearly thirty.

Sergei Ivanov strolled to the front of the room. "My fellow secularists. Our plans have nearly come to fruition. With the aid of our Benefactors, my candidacy for Senior Class President has been established. Soon, our Benefactors will ensure my victory, and control of Wellesly High will belong to the Atheists! We will end prayer in the morning announcements! We will fill the student government newsletters with glorious Blasphemy! And every student in the entire school will be forced to cry out with one voice: GOD IS DEAD!" The atheists let out an animalistic howl in celebration. They had already come to see themselves as nothing more than mere beasts.

"Silence!" yelled Sergei. "Our impending victory would not have been possible without the assistance of our beloved sponsor, Mr. Petrov. Mr. Petrov, do you have any words for us?"

A small, bald, pale-faced man, aged beyond his years, stepped forward from the shadows. He wore a dark, hooded cloak, and smelled of Arm & Hammer-brand deodorant. "Remember only this, my children: Life is meaningless. There is nothing in this universe to be worshipped but ourselves. Now, let us begin the ritual. Feast of my blood, young ones."

Sergei bore an evil grin as he pressed "Play" on a large boombox. The hellish music of Slipknot began roaring through the speakers. Mr. Petrov moved to the desk at the front of the room, where a large chalice filled with water awaited him. He took out his pocket knife and sliced over his wrist, letting the blood pour into the chalice. Finally, he bandaged his wound and stirred his blood into the water. One by one, the atheists stepped forward to drink the blood of their teacher so they might gain his power, as was taught by Darwin's theories.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sarah tossed and turned in her sleep. She had nightmares of Satan and atheists dancing in the darkened halls of Wellesly High, proclaiming that the Earth was more than 10,000 years old. They taunted her, ripping Bibles and snickerdoodles from her hands. Her heart cried out to Jesus for peace. Suddenly, she found herself on beach, waves lazily lapping at the sandy shore. She stood up and saw a man in front of her. She remarked that he looked just like Dr. Sol Harkins, the protagonist of her favorite movie, Let There Be Light.

"My name is Jeffrey Radisson," said the man. "I once was an evil atheist like Mr. Petrov. Only by the grace of God does my spirit visit your dream tonight. Listen to me, Sarah. The atheists want more than to control student government. They want to control all of Wellesly High. They want to rid the entire school of the light of God! You must stop them. Trust in the Holy Spirit. It will always show you the way."

Sarah's alarm clock sounded. She awoke to realize she was clutching her Bible. She felt the Peace of the Holy Spirit coursing through her. She was on a mission from God. She would start her investigation into the infestation of secularism with Principal Miller.

She ran down to the dining room, where her father was waiting on her mother to finish cooking breakfast. "Father, I need advice."

Mark Markerson looked at his daughter with kindness in his eyes. He was a bit older than the average Wellesly father of a teenager. He had taken his sweet time settling down, and gotten married at the ripe old age of twenty. Now, he was paying for it: He was nearing thirty-eight and had yet to receive a single grandchild. "Sweetie, we've been over this. Please, call me Pastor Markerson."

"Pastor Markerson, has the spirit of a brother in Christ ever visited your dream?"

Mark furrowed his brow. "Only once, child. When a man tried to open a restaurant serving food from the godless land of China. I remember the horror on my parishioners' faces. They could scarcely pronounce half the menu."

"Who visited you, pastor?"

"It was Colonel Sanders."

"Is that a relative of Laney's?"

"No, it was the Colonel Sanders who started KFC. He assured me that all would be well. And sure enough, that very month the restaurant was bought out and converted to a KFC franchise. The moral of the story is this: Always trust in the Holy Spirit. It will never lead you astray. You're a Godly child, Sarah. One of these days you will make a fine housewife. And a fine mother, too, I should say. You've certainly got the hips for it." Mark Markerson gave his daughter a knowing wink.

"Thank you, fath- I mean, Pastor Markerson!" And with that Sarah was out the door. Mrs. Markerson entered the dining room with eggs, toast, and bacon on a platter. "Where did Sarah go, dear?"

Mark Markerson's smile grew ever kinder. "Sweetheart, we've been over this before, please call me Pastor Markerson."

"Sorry, Pastor."

"Young Sarah was in a hurry to leave, sweetheart. She must have smelled your terrible cooking. Sometimes I wonder why God led me to marry you."

The couple clasped hands and shared a hearty laugh.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Remember, Sarah, don't unbuckle your seatbelt until the car is safely in 'Park'," said Laney as she pulled into her parking spot. Laney was _always_ in the know when it came to defensive and safe driving. She never drove without her seatbelt on, or while under the influence of caffeine. She had elevated turn signal usage to an art form. She dreamed of the day that she would finally have children of her own to teach the art of safe, defensive, and Godly driving. Of course, she was only a Junior in high school, so that day was at least 18 months away.

"Thanks Laney, you're the coolest!" remarked Sarah brightly. "Do you want to lead our prayer this morning for a safe and productive school day?"

"You know I do! Let's bow our heads. Lord, thank you again for delivering us safely to school this morning. Thank you for keeping my speed under the posted limit. Thank you for maintaining a safe level of tread on my tires. Thank you for the synthetic oil which so efficiently lubricates the engine."

Sarah winced when Laney said the word "lubricates". It was such an impure-sounding word. Nonetheless, Laney continued.

"Please guide us throughout our school day, and guard our hearts from the sinful pleasures of the world. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. How'd I do, Sarah?"

"A little shorter than God probably would have liked, Laney, but that's fine: I've got to meet with Principal Miller before class."

Lacey's eyes widened. "Oh no, I forgot to mention your meeting with Principal Miller in our prayer! Do you want to have an auxiliary prayer for that?"

Sarah was already on her way out of the car. "No time, I'll pray on the way there! Bye!" Sarah jogged toward the principal's office. Time was of the essence. She knew that secularism was tightening its grip on her beloved school with each passing minute.

Principal Miller's door was open when Sarah got there. She marched past his secretary unannounced. Principal Miller was sitting at his desk, apparently in deep contemplation. He looked up at Sarah.

"Sarah!" he said, "what a pleasant surprise! I was just saying my morning prayer. Would you care to join me?"

"I'd love to, Principal Miller, but there's something urgent we need to discuss. Do you mind if I shut your door?"

"Go ahead! A lot can happen between an adult administrator and a high school student behind closed doors. Like intense Bible study!" said Principal Miller excitedly.

"Principal Miller, I wish there was time for an extra Bible study today, but there's a serious issue going on." Sarah looked around, as if searching for hidden microphones. "I've heard that the school has… an _atheist_ club."

Principal Miller's face took on a sour look. It was not one of shock, but of shame. "Sarah, I know all about the atheist club."

Sarah's heart sank into her stomach. "Then HOW, Principal Miller, could you have allowed students to continue to operate an atheist club in a Godly place like this? Why didn't you try to stop them?!"

"Sarah, I _did_ try. When that slimy Mr. Petrov told me his student Sergei wanted to start an atheist club, I was like 'No, way, Jose!' And I showed him right out the door along with one of the pocket Bibles I keep handy for students who misbehave.

"But a few days later, Mr. Petrov showed up again, along with Sergei. And there was someone else with them, too!" Principal Miller began clutching the small silver Cross he wore on a chain around his neck. He was trying to hold back tears.

"Sarah, they had brought a lawyer with them."

"A lawyer? Who? Every attorney I've ever met was a Godly man!"

"Sarah, this lawyer was a woman." Sarah knew that was a bad sign. Women had no need for that kind of career in Godly places like Wellesly. A woman lawyer had to have come from the Big City. She had to have come from Boise.

"And worse, Sarah, she was from the ACLU." The tears were welling up in Principal Miller's eyes as he spelled the acronym.

Sarah took on a puzzled look. "What's the ACLU, Principal Miller?"

"Oh, blessed child! How the Lord has guarded your sweet, innocent heart! The ACLU is a dark, sinister group. They're like an _atheist_ club for grownups. They're cold, Godless people who have dedicated their time- no, their entire _lives_ to keeping the light of Christ from the hearts of the unsaved! Wherever there is a community that refuses to succumb to Satan's influence, the ACLU sends in its lawyers and its reporters and its activists to force God's children into subservience to Lucifer!" Tears were streaming down Principal Miller's cheeks. "Truly we live in the last days when such an evil force roams the land! This lawyer, she told me that if I didn't let this atheist club organize, she would sue the school! She would take all the money we had set aside for prom, and student government, and prayer groups, and give it to organizations like the Church of Satan!"

Sarah was on the verge of tears herself. "Why didn't you fight them? I don't care about prom, or student government. It is better to keep our souls than to gain the world!"

"I was going to, Sarah! I wasn't going to let the ACLU march into my office and make me introduce secularism to our students! But it was too late: She had already called the superintendent. It was out of my hands. She told me that if I tried to fight her any further, she'd go after the morning announcement prayer as well! Not that it matters; I reckon this atheist club'll have those prayers off the air before the school year's end. I've failed the students, Sarah. I've failed you!"

Sarah saw that Principal Miller was truly a broken man. She had to share her hope with him.

"Principal Miller, last night a man spoke to me in a dream. His name was Jeffrey Radisson." Principal Miller looked at Sarah, bemused.

"Jeffrey Radisson, the reknowned Atheist Professor? I heard he died months ago!"

"He did, Principal Miller! But he was saved, bathed in the blood of Christ! He warned me of the atheist plot to control to school. He told me the Holy Spirit would guide me to defeating them. We mustn't lose hope. God will see us through."

"Oh Sarah, your faith is an inspiration to me. You're right. With God's help, we'll unravel this plot and keep Christ in our school! Remember what the Bible says in Deuteronomy 7:1-2, 'When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations, and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.'"

"The Bible is right, Principal Miller. We must show the atheists no mercy!"

Sarah marched out of Principal Miller's office more determined than ever to get to the bottom of this atheist club. The first step was to know her enemy. She had to venture into the Lion's Den.

Sarah was going undercover.


End file.
